Henrietta Rushwaya

Henrietta Rushwaya is a Zimbabwean politician, football administrator and former CEO of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA). She has been linked to cases of corruption a number of times for her role in match fixing scandals in Zimbabwe.

Rushwaya then held the post of director of sport in Vice-President Joseph Msika's office, before being appointed Zifa Chief Executive Officer on March 1 2007.[2]

Match Fixing Allegations

Limpopogate

In a match fixing scandal which is commonly referred to as the Limpopogate, in March 2016, ZIFA announced that Rushwaya had been linked to a match fixing syndicate which had been fixing games for the past 6 years and was planning to fix an upcoming Zimbabwe 2017 Nations Cup qualifiers game against Swaziland.[3] Rushwaya admitted that she had interacted with Asian match-fixers since 2015 up to the time the scandal was unearthed but said she was working undercover to try and nail them after she promised investigators working for FIFA that she would bring the culprits to book.[4]

In April 2016 Rushwaya was arrested following the allegations of being involved in a match fixing ring run from South Africa.

Asiagate

Henrietta Rushwaya at a football match

In a match fixing scandal which came to be known as Asiagate, then ZIFA CEO, Henrietta Rushwaya was accused of having organised a trip by the Zimbabwe national team to Malaysia on December 28 in 2009 during which matches are said to have been manipulated. An investigation into the matter found she was the “core central point” in the scam which involved referees, players and journalists. On the trip, Zimbabwe lost 3-0 to Thailand; beat the Malaysian champions Selangor 3-0 before losing 6-0 to Syria. An investigation by the ZIFA Board of Enquiry found that Rushwaya had been the “core central point” in the match-fixing. [5]

ON 26 October 2016, Rushwaya was fired after a disciplinary tribunal appointed by ZIFA ruled that she be dismissed for mismanagement and insubordination. She had been found guilty on the majority of the charges levelled against her.[6]

In February 2012 Henrietta Rushwaya was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission on allegations of bribery and match-fixing linked to the Asiagate scandal. The appeared in court facing 11 counts of concealing transactions from a principal, two counts of fraud and 15 others of bribery involving US$1 million.[7]

Extortion Allegation

In August 2014 Rushwaya was arrested on allegations of planning an attempt to extort Prophetic Healing Deliverance Ministries leader and founder Walter Magaya of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Rushwaya was picked up following a report made by Prophet Magaya at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Law and Order Section at Harare Central Police Station.[8]

Other Criminal Allegations

In February 2008, Rushwaya was arrested and charged with attempting to defeat the course of justice after an investigation at the Attorney-General's Office into questionable circumstances that led to the Rushwaya's trial on theft charges being brought forward by two months.[2]

Between 2007 and 2008 she faced theft charges for stealing from ZIFA funds and was tried at the courts in 2008.[2]

Political Career

In February 2008 Rushwaya tried and failed to secure the ticket to represent Zanu PF in Gutu South in the 29 March 2008 parliamentary elections.[2]

Personal Life

In November 2015 it was rumoured Rushwaya was having an affair with popular musician, Jah Prayzah. Both Rushwaya and Jah Prayzah dismissed the rumours.

In January 2011 it was reported Rushwaya had possibly had an affair with MDC politician Welshman Ncube.

Rushwaya was reported to have had an exploitative relationship with popular football star Benjani Mwaruwari whom she reportedly said had bought her a car for a gift.[9]